


Secret Admirer

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Robron week 2019 [3]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, RomCom AU, Secret Admirer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-04 05:34:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18337214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Robron Week day 3: Romcom remixAaron has a secret admirer





	Secret Admirer

It wasn’t like they’d been together long, or that things had been serious (really, it was just a bit of fun. No big deal.) but it still sucked to be single on Valentines day.

Even if it had at least been partially his decision. Robert wasn’t ready to come out yet and Aaron was sick of hiding, so that had been that.

It sucked even more to live above a pub with about 50 other people (including his mother who was way too interested in his love life) that was hosting a love song karaoke night to celebrate the day.

That and the apparent need for research for the playlists which had had Chas and Charity singing love songs (off key) for the past few weeks.

Aaron hadn’t been that bothered by it before, but now it was like every soppy love song was mocking his single-ness.

“Morning.” Chas said as Aaron walked into the pub backroom.

“Morning.” He mumbled in reply and started banging around the kitchen to make himself some breakfast.

“So, do you have any plans for today?” Chas asked after a few minutes

“Just work.”

“And tonight? Doing anything special?”

“No. And I’m not working the bar tonight if that’s what you mean.” Aaron said as he sat down at the table and took a bite of his toast.

“It’s not! I was just making conversation. I’m worried about you. You’ve looked so smiley and happy lately but you’ve barely said two words the past week. Did something happen?”

“I’m fine.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“I’m fine mum.” Aaron sighed. “Did Paddy get you those?” He asked, nodding at the flowers on the coffee table in an attempt to change the subject.

Chas smiled.

“Oh no, they’re not for me. They’re for you.”

“What?”

“They were delivered an hour ago. There’s a card in them and all.”

Aaron frowned and got up to check the card. It was a small heart shaped card with a message printed on it.

_I know this probably isn’t your thing, but it’s tradition isn’t it? Have a good day and think of me, your secret admirer._

“Who is it from?” Chas asked innocently.

“Don’t pretend you haven’t read the card.” Aaron scoffed. “It says secret admirer, doesn’t it? So I don’t know who it’s from.”

“So you don’t know who it could be?”

“Nope.” Aaron lied. “I have to get to work now, Cain’s waiting.” He said and left. He didn’t want his mother to know he was as curious as her, and definitely didn’t want her to know who he suspected was behind this.

When he got to the garage, Cain put him to work right away, which suited him just fine. If he was busy working he wouldn’t have time to think about those flowers.

“We’re closing early.” His uncle told him. “Moira and I have plans.”

They worked in comfortable silence for a few hours, and Aaron had forgotten about his secret admirer until a delivery guy showed up with a package for him.

“What? Are you sure? I didn’t order anything.”

“Is your name Aaron Dingle?”

“Yes but, - “

“Then this is for you. Please sign here to confirm.” The guy said and shoved a tablet in Aaron’s face.

“I swear I didn’t order anything.” He said to Cain, who just shrugged, as Aaron signed for the package.

“Someone did. Maybe there’s a name on it somewhere.”

Aaron turned the surprisingly heavy box around in his hands, looking for a return address or anything resembling a clue who it was from, but found nothing.

“Well go on, open it then.” Cain said and threw him a Stanley knife.

“Curious?”

“No I just want you to get on with your work and you won’t do that before you’ve opened that box.”

“Sure. You’re as bad as my mum.” Aaron said and cut open the box. Inside was a six pack of his favourite brand of beer.

“Beer.” Cain stated. “You ordered beer.”

“I didn’t order anything.” Aaron protested before taking another look in the box and noticing a card.

_Have one on me. After work though. You need to keep a clear head around those cars. X your secret admirer._

Aaron smiled and tucked the note in the pocket of his overalls (there were things Cain didn’t need to know) and went back to work.

The rest of the day was uneventful until the phone rang about 30 minutes before closing.

“Dingle and Dingle garage” Cain said as he answered the call. He scribbled something on the notepad next to the phone and after a few “hmm” and “ok” and a “someone will be there in 20 minutes” he hung up and rubbed a hand over his face.

“What was that about?”

“Call out. Break down. It’s Victoria Sugden. Her van broke down near the Hotten bypass.”

“Again? Didn’t Dan fix it just last week?”

Cain nodded as he checked the books.

“Two weeks ago. And she hasn’t paid the full bill yet.”

“You said she could pay in instalments, didn’t you?” Aaron reminded him.

“Yeah until her meals on wheels thing started making proper money. But that’ll never happen if the piece of crap keeps breaking down.” Cain sighed and looked at the clock. “Moira is going to kill me. She booked a table at some restaurant in Leeds. Matty’s looking after Isaac. I promised I’d be home on time.”

“I’ll go.” Aaron offered. “Vic’s a mate anyway and I don’t have any plans tonight.”

Cain seemed to consider his offer for a moment.

“Alright. Don’t forget to lock up when you leave.” He said and threw Aaron the keys before grabbing his jacket from the office and walking out the door. “This doesn’t class as overtime you know.” He called out over his shoulder.

Aaron rolled his eyes and took a few minutes to gather his tools and locked up the garage before driving out to meet Victoria.

“So how many times is that this month now? Five? Six?” He joked when he reached the stranded van.

“Only twice!” Vic protested.

“That we know of.”

“Like I’d go to another garage than the one where my best mate works.”

“Good answer.” Aaron laughed and popped up the bonnet to take a look at the engine.

“How bad is it?” Victoria asked, hoping for a quick fix.

Aaron didn’t answer but continued to work.

“Aaron?” Vic tried again.

“Well… your oil level is way too low for starters… and I have a feeling something is leaking… but I can’t get to it here by the side of the road. I’ll have to take it back to the garage.”

Victoria groaned.

“This is going to cost me, isn’t it?”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Aaron promised. “But why didn’t you save up a little longer and buy a decent van?”

“I got a good deal on this one! Well… I thought I had. And Rob helped me get the bank stuff sorted and there was this festival job this week that I was offered…”

Aaron nodded. Robert had told him about helping Vic get a loan to get her food truck sorted and how happy he’d been for her when it’d all worked out. Aaron had wanted to congratulate her the minute Robert had told him, but since nobody knew they were together, he couldn’t risk it and had had to wait for Vic to tell him.

Apparently he was very good at acting surprised when she did.

“Come on, I’ll load this thing up and give you a lift to the village.”

“So is Cain making you work late tonight?” Vic asked a little while later after fiddling with the radio and coming to the conclusion nothing good was on.

“Nah not more than usual. He just left early because him and Moira have plans tonight. For Valentines and all that.”

Vic nodded.

“What about you? Got a hot date with an even hotter guy lined up?”

Aaron laughed.

“Who would I go on a date with? The only out bloke around here is Finn!”

“Finn’s a nice guy!”

“Hmm. Sure. But not my type.”

“What is your type then?” Vic asked. “Tall, dark, and handsome rugby players perhaps?”

“No.” Aaron said, quickly glancing at his friend. “No. Ed and I… was a match made in hell. He’s a nice guy but… No. Never going to happen again.”

“Alright. No to the ex then. What do you look for in a guy then? Blond? Or dark hair? Muscles or not? Colour eyes? Name a celebrity you like.”

“Are you trying to set me up with someone?”

“No! I’m just curious. What good is a gay best friend if we can’t talk about boys we fancy?” Vic joked and Aaron laughed.

“What are we, thirteen?” He laughed again and shook his head “And what about you? Don’t you have a date for tonight to focus on?”

“Maybe…”

“That’s a yes then. Who is he? Anyone I know?”

“A lady never tells.” Vic teased as Aaron parked the truck in front of the garage. “Do you need me to fill anything in or something?”

“No that’s ok. I’ll just lock up the keys and head home for the night. I’ll let you know what the deal is when I’ve had a proper look at it tomorrow. Have fun on your maybe date.”

Vic laughed and waved at him before turning around and walking towards her house, and Aaron couldn’t help but think about the person currently staying in her box room and the secret kisses they’d shared there.

He shook his head. He and Robert had had their fun but it’s all in the past now. It was time to move on. There was a pint with his name on it waiting for him at Bar West and surely there would be a nice, _out_ , single guy there to take his mind off Robert Sugden.

He dug the keys to the garage out of his pocket and unlocked the door, planning on just parking Vic’s van inside and locking up again. Only, when he stepped inside he heard something crunch under his boot. He looked down and saw an envelope, which upon further inspection, had his name on it.

“What the hell?”

 _8.30 outside the pub. Meet me there._  
Maybe we could share those beers.  
X your secret admirer.

Aaron checked the envelope for clues on who’d sent the note or even clues on how to recognise them but found nothing.

He tucked the note in the pocket of his overalls with the other note and grabbed his beer from the fridge and headed home.

“Hi love, how was work?” Chas asked when Aaron walked through the door. “Anything exciting happen?”

“Vic’s van broke down again.”

“Oh, again?”

“Yup.”

“Anything else?”

“Nope. Nothing.”

“Oh… ok… well… if something exciting were to happen and you wanted to talk about it… you know where to find me…”

“Did Cain say something?” Aaron asked, suspicious.

“No! I haven’t seen Cain all day.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Positive.” Chas assured him. “But this came earlier.” She said, handing him a postcard with a picture of the pub on a sunny day on it.

_Can’t wait to see you there tonight._

“Who is it from?” Chas asked and Aaron shrugged.

“Don’t know. No name on it, is there?”

“Is it from your secret admirer? The one that sent you flowers this morning?”

“Could be.” Aaron said and went upstairs to shower and change. He wasn’t entirely convinced this secret admirer thing wasn’t some prank, but his curiosity was stronger than his scepticism.

It was nearing 8.30 when he came downstairs again. Thankfully the backroom was empty and, by the sounds of it, his mum had convinced Paddy to sing some love song with her in the bar, so they wouldn’t bother him.

He shrugged on his jacket, quickly checked himself in his mum’s make up mirror and left the pub. The car park and the street were empty and Aaron tried to convince himself he wasn’t disappointed. He had a feeling he knew who was behind the notes and the gifts but at the same time didn’t want to get his hopes up.

When no-one had shown up some time later, he decided to book a taxi into town and wait for it by the picnic tables in front of the pub. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his contacts to find the number for the local taxi company.

“Hi, I’d like to book a taxi for The Woolpack, Emmerdale to -  Robert?”

The second he’d rounded the corner he’d seen his ex boyfriend (is that what they were?) sitting at a picnic table, dressed in a grey coat Aaron didn’t recognise and looking like he was freezing.

“What are you doing here?” Aaron asked, taxi forgotten.

Robert looked up and smiled.

“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

“Wait. You sent me those notes and the flowers?”   

“Guilty.”

“But… why? We broke up, remember? We decided it was for the best.”

Robert shook his head.

“No. You decided that because I was too busy being an idiot.”

“What?”

“I love you.”

“Robert. Don’t.”

“I mean it, Aaron, I love you.”

“Yeah, well, only behind closed doors, eh? Can’t have anyone finding out about us and thinking you’re gay.”

“I’m not gay.” Robert said and Aaron rolled his eyes and turned to leave. “I’m not gay.” He said again and took a deep breath. “I’m bisexual.”

“You what?”

“I’m bi. I like both.” Robert said simply, a small smile on his face. “I want you.”

“Do you mean that?” Aaron asked. “I’m not going back to the sneaking around, Robert, I can’t.”

“I know.” Robert said, taking a few steps towards the other man and reaching out for his hand. “I don’t want you to. I want us to be together. Properly. Out in the open like any other couple.” He squeezed Aaron’s hand to prove his point. “I want this. I want you. To be with you. I mean it.”

Aaron closed his eyes for a moment and let Robert take his other hand.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you to say that.”

“I’m sorry for making you wait. I just… I had to come out to myself first. I was scared. Am. I’m terrified. But I want this, with you. If you’ll still have me.”

“Of course you idiot.” Aaron said after a few moments and looked up at Robert’s smiling face when he opened his eyes again.

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Robert said and leaned in to kiss Aaron. “I’ve missed that. Missed you.”

“I missed you too.” Aaron replied. “But I’ve also missed tea and you’ve only sent me beer and flowers so I’m kind of starving.” He said and they both laughed. “Do you want to go inside and see if we can get Marlon to fix us up something to eat?”

“Let me cook for you.”

“You? Cook?”

“Yeah, Vic isn’t the only Sugden that can cook, you know? She’s out with her new boyfriend so we’ll have the house to ourselves. So… will you come home with me?”

“Alright.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Robert pulled Aaron close as they walked towards Keepers Cottage, ready to spend the rest of the night, and possibly the rest of their lives together.


End file.
